Old cars, old tunes at Jacobs Garage birthday

FALLS VILLAGE — As of 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 11, there were 135 vehicles registered and at least twice that many people roaming around downtown Falls Village for the 80th anniversary celebration of Jacobs Garage and the accompanying car show.

The big shade tree on the Green was very popular on the hot, sunny day — cool, and close to both the band and the refreshments.

Among the cars, trucks, dune buggies and motorcycles was a 1938 Ahrens-Fox fire engine owned by the Falls Village Volunteer Fire Department — complete with hand-operated bell.

Colin Chambers, the new owner of the Falls Village Inn, had his 1966 Chevrolet C10 truck outside the inn. Down the street was a splendid 1932 Cadillac Roadster, complete with running boards (in case Sam Spade has to make a quick getaway).

A look inside some of the cars revealed the enormous amount of space our automotive forefathers deemed necessary — to accomodate men’s hats, among other things. A 1951 Ford Custom two-door sedan was a good example of this roomy approach to car design.

Old Willys Jeeps were well-represented, including Jody Bronson’s 1955 Jeep pickup, which looked like it was ready to go anywhere.

Over by Town Hall, villagers got their first look at the work of the Creative Kids art project: a town-themed mural.

And the band Swamp Yankee ran through an extensive repertoire of tunes, some familiar, some more obscure — “She’s About a Mover� (Sir Douglas Quintet), “Can’t You See� (Marshall Tucker Band) and “Route 66� (written in 1946 by Bobby Troup and since covered by everybody including The Rolling Stones, The Cramps, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme and Asleep at the Wheel).

At Jacobs Garage, with Ken Guartha’s 1928 Pontiac outside — originally purchased at Jacobs Garage when it was a Pontiac/GMC truck dealership — Judy Jacobs bustled around, greeting visitors and making sure everybody had a piece of birthday cake.

“Car people are good people,� she said with a big smile.

Proceeds from the event went to the Falls Village Volunteer Fire Department.

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